


12 Days of Snowbarry - '16

by shyesplease



Series: 12 Days of Snowbarry [1]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-12
Updated: 2016-12-23
Packaged: 2018-09-08 05:47:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 17,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8832796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shyesplease/pseuds/shyesplease
Summary: Counting down the days until Christmas with some Snowbarry goodness. Seasonal one-shots.





	1. Christmas Morning

“Cait,” she heard someone call out gently to her, prodding her lightly. She tried to block it out, hoping they’d give up. “Caaaaait,” the person persisted, this time doing so while caressing her cheek.

She blearily opened her eyes to come face to face with Barry Allen. She groaned, turning away from him and snuggling further in the center of their warm bed. “Go away, Barry. It’s too early.” She actually had no idea what the time was, but her heavy eyes didn’t care.

She heard Barry chuckle affectionately. The bed dipped as he cuddled up behind her, smoothly running his hand up and down her arm. “Come on, Cait. It’s Christmas.”

“Can Christmas wait a little longer?” she pleaded tiredly. “We were out really late with that satanic meta-human last night.”

“But I really want to show you what I got you,” he excitedly insisted, nuzzling his nose against the column of her neck, making a chill run up her spine.

“Bartholomew Allen, I am about seconds away from turning you into an ice cube,” she threatened, but the threat fell on deaf ears as she felt Barry chuckle against her.

“Come on. Pleaseee,” he begged sweetly, peppering kisses along the underside of her jaw.

She turned over to glare at him but was met with big doe eyes and a pout, diminishing her whole resolve in an instant. “Arghh,” she let out, frustrated by how his adorableness was such a weakness of hers. “Fine.”

His face instantly brightened, bringing out those laugh lines on his face that she absolutely adored. “You won’t regret it,” he promised, leaning down to steal a short kiss on her lips. “Meet me out in the living room,” he instructed before flashing away.

Caitlin begrudgingly sat up and slowly made her way to the edge of the bed, where she took a moment to stretch and yawn out her tiredness.

“You coming?” she heard Barry’s voice yell from the living room.

She rolled her eyes at his impatience. “I’m coming, I’m coming,” she grumbled, though a small smile surfaced as she thought of Barry’s enthusiasm. She found it so remarkable that with all the bad that had happened in their lives, he still found a way to be excited about things and be happy. She’s not entirely sure if she’d be able to do the same without him.

Caitlin pattered her way down the hallway that led to their living room but, as she turned the corner, found it empty. She hiked an eyebrow in confusion. “Barry?” she called out, rising on her tippy toes to see if maybe he was in the kitchen, but she didn’t see him there either. “Barry!” she hollered again.

The breeze of his running was sensed behind her, throwing her already tussled hair up and over her eyes. “Barry…” she whined, fixing her hair. “Where were…” she started, turning around, but stopped, taking in the scene before her with wide eyes. “Why are you holding a dog?”

Barry’s smile was still plastered wide. “It’s your dog – or our dog,” he said holding the little white husky, complete with a red bow tied around its neck.

Caitlin titled her head to the side, still mildly confused. She felt like she was still dreaming. “You got me a dog?” she questioned skeptically.

“Yeah!” Barry enthused, before noticing her lack of glee. His face soon deflated. “You hate it, don’t you?”

“No!” Caitlin was quick to assure. “It’s just that – Barry, you’re literally running around the city saving lives every day, and I’m holed up in STAR Labs helping you. How are we going to find the time to not only train this puppy, but continue to take care of it?”

“He can stay at the lab during the day – it’s not like anyone is going to tell us we can’t,” he reasoned with a smirk. “Plus, when it’s my turn to take him out for a walk, I’ll speed right over,” he continued to bargain.

Caitlin shook her head. “A dog has no place in a lab, let alone an untrained puppy,” Caitlin logically said back. “What if he gets contaminated or gets hurt, or worse?”

Barry sighed as he placed the puppy down on the floor. “You’re right,” he reluctantly admitted, walking to stand in front of her, grabbing her hands. “You’re always right.”

She leaned back, studying his face suspiciously. “But…?” she added, sensing there was a ‘but’ with the way he was acting all sweet.

He shamelessly grinned. “But,” he added, “if any two people could do this under our circumstances, it would be us.”

“Barry…”

“Come on,” he begged. He then stepped away to go and retrieve the dog again. “Just look at this fellow. Tell me you can say no to this face,” he said, putting the cute little puppy right up to her face, letting its bright blue eyes do all the persuading.

She melted under the dog’s innocent gaze. “Awww, I can’t,” Caitlin confessed, reaching out her arms to take the dog from Barry. “Hi, little guy,” she baby-talked to the dog. “You’re just so handsome, aren’t you?”

Barry snickered. “Does that mean we’re keeping him?” he wondered optimistically.

Caitlin took a moment from cooing over the dog to look at Barry. “You better train him fast, Barry. I can’t have a disobedient dog messing with our equipment in the lab.”

“They don’t call me the Flash for nothing,” he boasted with a small puff to his chest.

Caitlin rolled her eyes. “I mean it, Barry.”

“I know, I know,” Barry proclaimed, sidling up next to the pair, slinging his arm around his girlfriend as he gazed down at the dog in her arms. “So we’re definitely keeping him?”

Caitlin leaned her head down on his shoulder. “Why not?” she relented with a shrug. “Cisco would probably love the company, and the dog might actually be useful when it comes to security around there.”

Barry chuckled as he went to kiss Caitlin on the side of her head. “You know, we need to name it,” he mused. “What about Snow?”

Caitlin scrunched up her nose in disapproval. “Just because the dog is white and my last name is Snow, doesn’t mean we’re naming him anything of the like,” Caitlin said. Barry went to open his mouth, but she interrupted him before he could voice his thoughts. “And that includes my meta-name and abilities too. All off limits, Mr. Allen.”

Barry pouted. “Fine,” he said sadly. “What about Ollie then?” he joked. “I’d be the only Oliver that actually listened to us. And could you imagine Oliver’s face?”

Caitlin snorted. “Funny, but no.”

“You could come up with some names too, you know. Instead of shooting all my names down,” Barry teased, stepping to the side to hold her from the back.

Caitlin leaned into his embrace, while outstretching the dog in her arms to get a proper look at him. “Maybe we should name him after something in science,” she suggested, side-eying Barry as best as she could over her shoulder. “We both can relate to that.”

She felt Barry nod against her, agreeing. “I like it. Just as long as it isn’t Einstein – that is sooo overused.”

“Of course,” she quickly agreed. “Oh!” she began excitedly. “What about Mendel?”

“You want to name our dog after the father of modern genetics?” Barry asked in astonishment, laughing lightly.  

Caitlin sputtered. “It is my area of expertise,” she pointed out matter-of-factly, setting down the dog so she could face her boyfriend, hands on hips.

Barry bit his lip, looking at her amusingly. “I know, _Dr. Snow_ ,” he let out with mock seriousness, pulling at her hands and drawing her close to him again so that their chests touched. He stared at her with such adoration that she was feeling light-headed.

Slowly they both leaned forward, eyes blinking closed, letting their lips find each other like two opposite poles of a magnet. Caitlin’s hands immediately looped around Barry’s neck, pressing against it in an effort to lure him closer.

They walked backwards, Barry only slightly stumbling as he tried to find the couch. His knees eventually found it as he fell back, bringing Caitlin down along with him. They both giggled against each other’s lips at the action.

As their laughter died down, Caitlin continued to stare into Barry’s ocean green eyes. “I love you,” she expressed softly and deliberately, hoping he was feeling as loved as she felt. She didn’t always show it as obviously as Barry – like this morning – but the love she had for him was seared into her bloodstream, a part of her, forever.

Barry leaned his forehead against hers, theirs noses touching gently. “I love you too,” he echoed back, snaking his arms around her stomach, holding onto her just a little bit tighter.

A small bark then forced them back into reality.

Chuckling, Caitlin looked down at the little noisemaker. “Looks like Mendel is ready for his first lesson,” she voiced, smirking at the speedster as she got up from the couch.

Barry groaned. “Are we actually calling him Mendel?”

Caitlin looked pointedly at him. “Yes, we are,” she stated. “Now, chop-chop,” she commanded, “Mendel isn’t going to train himself.”


	2. Oh, Christmas Tree

Barry flashed to STAR Labs that morning, holding coffees for Cisco and Caitlin steadily in his hands. However when he walked into the cortex, he was met with a puzzling sight. Garland, Santas, snowmen, lights, and other decorations were all littered across the floor in a frenzy.

The scarlet speedster concluded it was mainly Cisco’s fault for this because the vibing meta-human was the one currently unloading more from a box while Caitlin stood nearby reprimanding him for the mess he was creating. Barry couldn’t hold back the laugh that stumbled out, causing both of his friends to face him.

“What is going on?” Barry couldn’t help but ask. “What’s with all the decorations?”

Caitlin let out an annoyed huff, folding her arms. “Cisco decided we should decorate the lab this year for Christmas,” she explained. “But all he’s doing is _making a mess_ ,” she continued, this time talking more to Cisco than Barry.

Cisco rolled his eyes. “If Ms. Scrooge here would just start decorating like I asked, half of this mess wouldn’t be here,” the engineer replied matter-of-factly.

Caitlin gasped. “I am not Scrooge!” she appallingly exclaimed. “This is a safety hazard, is all.”

“Right,” Cisco dryly said back. “Well, I’m going to head back down to get more safety hazards,” he continued, making his way out. “Can you try and persuade her to at least decorate the tree?” he asked of Barry before leaving.

The doctor shook her head, mumbling unpleasantries under her breath as she started picking up some of the decorations to organize them nicer.

Barry walked over to her figure. “Need coffee?” he asked, handing her coffee cup out to her with a cheeky smile.

She tiredly sighed, but by looking at Barry she couldn’t help but let herself smile at his thoughtfulness. “Yes, thank you,” she said appreciatively as she grabbed the coffee and immediately took a much needed sip.

“So…” Barry started, taking in all the decorations and the freshly cut Christmas tree off to the corner. “Why is Cisco going all Christmas mania?”

“I don’t know,” Caitlin answered honestly, laughing lightly at her own confusion. Barry cracked a smile at that. “And I really wouldn’t mind, but he literally came to the cortex with a box and dumped it on the floor before going back for more. This place is such a mess. What if we have a meta-human alert? You might be fast enough to dodge in between all of this, but I’m surely not – especially-”

Barry’s speed exerted a gust of air to Caitlin’s face, causing the doctor to pause momentarily. Meanwhile, Barry zipped around the room, picking up the decorations to place them around the cortex and adjoining rooms before returning to where he was previously.

“…in these heels…” Caitlin finished her thought lamely as she took in the clean and decorated lab. “You know, if this superhero gig doesn’t work for you, maybe you should try becoming a professional decorator. You have a knack for it.”

Barry scrunched up his nose, his lips twitching in amusement. “I think I’ll stick with the crime-fighting.”

She laughed. “Maybe that’s for the best,” she agreed, her gaze zeroing in on the bare evergreen. “You missed the tree.”

“No, I didn’t,” Barry told her as he held up the box with numerous tree decorations. “I thought we could do that together…” he offered hopefully, sending her one of his patented puppy-dog faces.

Caitlin eyed the speedster and then the decorations in the box before looking back up at him again. “Fine,” she gave in, sighing exasperatedly as she went to take the first ornament. However, the smile she was sporting as she placed the decoration on the tree told him she wasn’t as annoyed as she was letting on.

Grinning to himself, he placed the ornament box down closer to the tree and took out one to place himself.

They decorated in silence for a minute before Caitlin spoke. “I always loved decorating the tree,” she commented quietly as she placed a red ball delicately on a branch. “My parents were both doctors, so decorating the house was kind of out of the question since they were always so busy, but my father always made sure to get a tree,” she shared, her voice soft as she stared unwaveringly at the ornament she just hung up, her mind elsewhere, reminiscing on earlier Christmases with a small secret smile.

Barry watched her, smiling at the thought of her thinking about fond holiday moments. It made him think of the Christmases he could remember with his own mom and dad – and not of the presents or decorations but just of the love that was present.

Caitlin shook her head, her eyes back in focus. “What about you?” she asked conversationally, bending down to pick up more ornaments.

Barry blew out a breath, resuming his own activity. “My mom loved decorating,” Barry confessed, placing a Flash symbolled, brass decoration on a branch. “We used to have boxes and boxes of decorations solely for Christmas, like every nook and cranny had to be filled. And the music,” he started, a laugh bubbling up, “my mom would play Christmas music non-stop, starting in November – used to drive my dad insane.”

Caitlin giggled, causing Barry to look over at her with a lazy smile spreading across his face. He loved making her laugh. The melodious sound that erupted from her was always so warm and sweet that it was hard not to get lost in.

“I think I would have liked your mother,” she commented over her remaining laughter.

Barry’s heart squeezed at the image that was suddenly conjured in his mind – Caitlin and his mother, talking and singing off key to the Christmas music, the twinkling lights from the Christmas tree bouncing off them heavenly as they decorated. What he would do just to experience that for one second…

“I think she would have really liked you too,” Barry lowly spoke, his gaze heavy yet soft as he regarded her.

Caitlin bit her lip, the action hiding a smile that was daring to show. She turned to add an ornament up towards the top of the tree but quickly found that she wasn’t tall enough to reach it.

“Here,” Barry said coming up from behind her, his chest leaning over her back as he grabbed the decoration from her hands and placed it. “Good?” he curiously asked, looking down at her for approval.

She was still biting her lip as she looked at him over her shoulder, his eyes drawn to the teeth indenting her soft lips. “Perfect…” he heard her breathe out, making his eyes travel back to her own, which were watching him closely and questionably, her pupils dilated and enchantingly reflecting the lights from the tree.

The air felt dense and his body felt like it was being drawn to hers, like her coldness was luring his warmth closer. But Barry knew it had nothing to do with their powers, and all to do with who they were at the core. Two people who had been unlucky in love and loss so much in their lives to find each other – kindred spirits.

His head was slowly craning down, while Caitlin’s seemed to be rising up. Her eyes fluttered closed once their noses touched, and Barry’s followed suit shortly afterwards, right as his lips pressed against hers.

“Whoa! Somebody help here!” was suddenly heard, ripping the couple from their short kiss. Cisco was in the doorway of the cortex, carrying 3 boxes that were on top of each other and looked on the verge of falling.

Barry quickly ran over to his friend, grabbing one than another to place safely on the ground.

“Oh, cool,” Cisco said, taking in the decorated lab. “Well, I’ve seen that you’ve two been busy!”

Both Barry and Caitlin noticeably blushed, causing their engineering friend to raise a curious eyebrow at their behavior. “Did something happen while I was gone? You two are acting funny.”

Barry quickly looked over at Caitlin, trying to gauge her reaction. She merely looked at him with wide eyes and a bobbing mouth. “Nothing,” they both said simultaneously.

Cisco cocked an eye at the two. “Yeah, like that was uber convincing,” he said dryly. “Whatever,” he resigned with a sigh, setting the box in his arms down to open it. “Be weird, I don’t care, but leave some ornaments for me to decorate the tree with too. Decorating the tree is my favorite.”

Barry and Caitlin caught each other’s eyes, both smiling bashfully.

“Yeah, it’s my favorite too,” Barry couldn’t help but add, amusingly smirking over at his personal physician who knew just what he meant.


	3. Snow Angel

"Do you want me to flash you home?" Barry offered as they both walked out of STAR Labs, locking it up securely behind them.

They had just finished up a couple crime-fighting gigs. None of them had been too major, only one had been caused by a meta-human, but there had been many. So since it was well after midnight everyone had fled to go home, except for the two of them who had stayed behind to clean up the day's mess in the lab.

"No…" Caitlin let out, surveying the star-filled sky as they walked. "It's a nice night. I think I'll walk."

Barry nodded, but remained by her side. "Mind if I join you? I don't like the idea of you walking alone in the dark."

Caitlin fondly rolled her eyes at her friend, though his protectiveness of her was appreciated. "I can take care of myself," she noted, wiggling her hands up for him to see the slight frostiness emancipating from them, causing him to chuckle. "Plus, I don't live that far."

"I know," he agreed, and he wasn't just saying that to appease her. Even before she got powers or knew how to fight, she was always able to take care of herself somehow and someway. "It just makes me feel better, knowing you're getting home safe."

"If only we had some type of device that we could call or even message each other on, to let us know the other arrived home safely…" she teased, knocking into his shoulder playfully, but consequently the move threw her off balance as they stepped on some black ice. "Oof!" she let out as her butt harshly met the ground. "Ow…"

Barry couldn't help but cackle, his eyes crinkling and body scrunching from the hilarity. "Who would have thought that Frost's downfall would be ice?" he joked, looking down at her with amusement spread across his face.

"Ha ha," Caitlin let out dryly, unamused. She then leaned up to pull at his hand, making the speedster slip on the slippery surface too. The biochemist satisfyingly smirked. "I guess ice is the Flash's downfall too."

"That was low, Snow," he remarked, but his lips still displayed the goofy lop-sided grin he was wearing prior.

It was then that Caitlin saw a couple small snowflakes land on Barry's face, right on top of the freckles sprinkled across his cheeks. She looked up into the blackness of the sky and saw more of the white dust beginning to fall down. The doctor contently sighed at the sight, opening her hands to catch a couple of the snowflakes.

"It's getting all in your hair," he commented, chuckling as he ran his fingers over the white specs in her curls. "You look like an old woman," he teased.

"Well, you're no better," she shot back, ruffling his hair with her hand.

He batted her away. "Hey, hey! Watch the hair."

Caitlin snorted. "Okay, Travolta."

Barry tilted his head to the side, thinking. "I do sing a great rendition of 'Summer Lovin,' as you may remember."

Caitlin groaned in the residual embarrassment she still had of that night, despite it being a few years ago. She looked over at Barry, who was smiling cheekily at her. "Don't you dare, Barry," she warned, just knowing what he was about to do.

"Summer lovin had me a blast," he began to sing.

"Barry Allen!" she hollered playfully, slapping him lightly on his arm.

Laughing, Barry retaliated back, fingers outstretched, tickling her sides. "Summer lovin happened so fast," Barry continued to sing. Caitlin recoiled, giggling manically as she fell back on the snow-festered street. Barry followed, hovering over her as he continued his assault.

Moments later he paused in both his activities. "You okay?" he asked with a chuckle, taking in her labored breathing, her chest rising up and down.

"Yeah," she managed to whisper out through breaths, but her lips were lifted on the one side in a small smile. "You're an effective tickler."

Barry barked out a laugh, a puff of his breath a mist in the cold air.

It was then he realized he was still hovering over her. He made to move, but suddenly stopped, feeling rooted in place as he gazed down at her. With the way the streetlights were highlighting the beauty of her face and the still falling snow landing all around her, she looked like a snow angel. His heart started to race erratically.

"Barry?" Caitlin whispered softly, noticing his distraction.

Without much further thought, Barry leaned down and kiss her delicately on the lips.

Her eyes curiously met his as he backed away, a million and one questions swirling around her brown eyes. "That – That was unexpected," she stuttered out faintly.

Barry cleared his throat as he maneuvered himself around so that he was sitting beside her rather than suspended over her. "I'm – I'm sorry, Cait," he began to apologize, rubbing the back of his neck worriedly. He couldn't even look at her because he was feeling so guilty. He shouldn't have done that.

Taking a deep breath, Caitlin sat up. "It…wasn't a bad unexpected thing," she quietly confessed.

Barry thoughtfully looked over at her, studying her nervous demeanor. "It wasn't?"

Caitlin shook her head and bravely sought out his hand to hold. "Not in the slightest…" she admitted with a timid smile, watching their joined hands. A grin quickly found its way across the speedster's face too.

With Caitlin's encouraging words, he cupped her cheek with his free hand, her eyes so big and alluring as she briefly glanced at his lips before meeting his gaze.

This time they both leaned in, meeting halfway as their lips met. Their previously held hands detangled as Barry's went to hold the other side of Caitlin's face, while both of Caitlin's gripped the front of his coat. The kiss was slow, tender and sweet, just like the atmosphere around them. There was no rush or urgency behind the kiss, both wanting to learn and remember every movement and feeling.

After a minute or so, they separated, both breaking out into a small chuckle as they met each other's eyes, unbelieving of what just transpired.

Caitlin bit her lip as she distractedly played with the buttons on his coat. "I wanted to do that for a while now," she told him.

Barry's heart felt like it catapulted at the declaration. "Me too," he softly said, leaning forward again, but only to rub his nose along the side of Caitlin's affectionately, causing the doctor to hum out in bliss.

She leaned back, watching him tenderly, but frowned as she saw his nose turning red. "You're cold," she noted.

Barry shook his head stubbornly. "I'm fine," he insisted.

"My place isn't far," she pointed out. "Why don't you come over to warm up?" she innocently asked. "I can make coffee or even hot chocolate. I also have a fireplace and have this really heavy blan-"

She was cut off by a swift kiss from Barry, effectively silencing her cute ramble.

"We – we can do some more of that too…" she stuttered, still flustered from the kiss.

Barry laughed. "Sounds like a plan."


	4. Christmas Morning II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a continuation of the first chapter.

Caitlin woke up as the sun’s light streamed directly into their bedroom. Blinking awake, she turned to look at their alarm clock to read that it was almost 9am. Mentally, she knew she should get up – it _was_ Christmas and they had things to do today. However, it was so warm and cozy under the covers; it was one of the many perks that came with sharing a bed with a speedster.

Thinking of him, the doctor looked over at the lump next to her, still sleeping soundly. He looked tired, but that was expected when she knew he essentially worked two full-time jobs to keep this city safe.

She reached out, running her hand delicately through his hair. He moved briefly, leaning into her and letting out a sigh of contentment, but didn’t wake. Her heart squeezed at the action, manifesting into the adoring smile plastered on her face as she watched him.

Retracting her hand, she carefully got up from the bed. She walked over to their bedroom door, grabbing her robe from the hook and tying the garment securely on. Mendel, who had been sleeping at their feet all night, perked his head up.

“Come on, Mend,” she quietly called, motioning to the dog to follow her out of the bedroom. She didn’t want Mendel to wake up Barry if he had to go out. The dog jumped off the bed and happily trailed after her into the kitchen.

“You think Barry would like French toast for breakfast?” Caitlin asked the dog, who only looked at up at her curiously. “I think so,” she answered herself, already walking around the kitchen to get everything she needed.

It was Christmas, so she turned on a radio station that was playing holiday music, letting it play quietly as she warmed up the griddle and created the egg mixture to dip the bread in. Meanwhile, she threw some bacon on a side pan and started brewing the coffee.

It wasn’t until she took the bacon off the pan and was halfway done the French toast when she heard their bedroom door opening. Mendel heard too as he finally left her side to go greet his other master good morning.

“Hey, buddy,” she heard Barry greet the dog groggily, making her smile to herself as she flipped another row of their breakfast.

“Mmm, smells good,” Barry told her as he entered the kitchen. He came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist as he laid his head on her shoulder to watch her cook. “Merry Christmas,” he murmured into the side of her neck before placing a delicate kiss there.

Warmth spread throughout her. “Merry Christmas,” she dotingly replied back, craning her neck to give her boyfriend a small peck.

“Did you take Mendel out yet?” he questioned when she turned back to the task at hand.

She shook her head as she checked the brownness of the bread. “Not yet.”

“I’ll take him out then,” Barry said, dropping a kiss to her cheek before slowly separating himself from her. “Come on, boy,” he lightly hollered, clapping his hands to gain the dog’s attention.

The pitter-patter of the dog’s paws against the kitchen’s tiles were heard scurrying to Barry’s direction. Caitlin looked over just in time to see her two boys leave the apartment, bundled up and ready to weather the cold.

She flipped the last of the French toast on a separate plate and one by one took everything they needed for breakfast out on the table. Only after preparing her and Barry’s coffees did she hear the front door open, signally their return.

She walked over to the table, setting their hot beverages down. “Cold?” she asked with a chuckle, seeing the speedster flushed pink from the frigid weather outside.

“Oh yeah,” he expressed, shivering as he hung up his coat and then made his way over to the table, sitting down next to her.

“You can vibrate, you know?” she told him, watching as she stacked his plate high with the food and doused them all heavily in syrup – he was lucky he had such a fast metabolism. “It’ll warm you up.”

“But that’s what you’re for,” he joked around a forkful of food, winking at her.

She laughed, shaking her head amusingly, blushing only minimally. “So, do you want to exchange our presents after breakfast, or wait until Joe’s tonight?”

His face broke into a big grin. “Do you think I can honestly wait until tonight to give you my present?”

“No…you don’t have the best track record,” she admitted with another giggle, vividly remembering their last Christmas when he gifted her Mendel.

“In fact,” he started, getting up from the table, “why wait until after breakfast?”

Before she could say a word, Barry jogged to their bedroom. She could faintly hear draws shutting and closing and the rustling of bags. A moment later, he called for the dog, which confused Caitlin even further.

“Cait?” Barry called out to her a few minutes later. “Come here!”

Furrowing her brow, Caitlin got up from the table and made her way to the bedroom. When she entered, she was greeted with Barry by their bed and Mendel sitting on top of it. She laughed once she saw Mendel, or rather what the dog was wearing. “Is Mendel wearing jeans?” she humorously asked.

She walked over to their husky, scratching him behind the ears. “Your daddy thinks he’s funny, huh?” she baby-talked to the dog.

Barry snorted, standing next to her. “I thought it was quite ingenious, myself,” he commented with a proud grin. 

“It was, honey,” she complied, smiling teasingly at him and affectionately rolling her eyes. She leaned up on her tippy toes to give him a gracious kiss. “Thank you.”

“While I appreciate the kiss,” he said as they separated, “that wasn’t your gift.” Caitlin looked up at him puzzlingly. “Check the pockets,” he instructed, tilting his head towards where their jean-clad dog was still sitting.

Caitlin turned back to Mendel who was sitting obediently on their bed, mouth opened happily with his tongue hanging out. He licked the side of her face as she leaned down to pat the jeans, looking for the pockets. She giggled and gave the playful dog her own kiss. “Oh, here, I found it,” she said, finding the pocket.

Inside she felt something made of glass. Confused even further, Caitlin fished out the mystery present and saw it to be a small test tube that was decorate with snowflakes and lightning bolts. She gasped however when she saw the pristine diamond ring suspended from the cork stopper at the top.

She turned to Barry, surprised and awed.

“Marry me?” he asked nervously as he got down on one knee, smiling unsurely.

Caitlin’s eyes immediately watered, like the amass joy she was experiencing had to pour out of her because there was too much for her body to contain. “Yes,” she answered waterily, nodding in case he couldn’t understand her.

Barry’s unsure smile immediately turned into a radiating grin as he got up from his knee and engulfed her into his arms. He happily peppered kisses all over her face before giving her a heart-soaring kiss on the lips that made her toes curl.

He broke away, but only to rid the ring from the test tube and place it on her finger. “You like it?”

Gazing at the ring, knowing what it meant and knowing what was now in store for her and Barry, Caitlin swore her heart grew due to the magnitude of its beat. She looked up at her fiancé, starry eyed. “I love it,” she softly answered, cupping his face to peck him. “I love you,” she spoke against his lips, before diving into another kiss.

The speedster smiled against her lips as they kissed, his arms wrapping around her waist to hoist her up on the bed. Stepping in-between her legs, he leaned over her, letting his lean frame press gently against her own. Her moan was muffled under his lips, but it had the desired effect.

He tugged at her robe string, freeing it after a few tries and opening it to reach a new expansion of her skin. Barry tore his mouth away from her lips to kiss and suckle down her throat and across her collar bone. As Barry started to descend his attention elsewhere, however, Caitlin noticed something in the corner of her eye.

“Barry,” she let out breathily, her voice suffering from the effects his ministrations were causing within her.

“Mmm,” he only murmured, his lips now at the edge of her cleavage while his one hand was starting to hike up her night blouse.

“No, no, Barry,” she tried again, this time pushing against him.

He immediately stopped and looked down at her worriedly. “What? What’s wrong?” he asked apprehensively, like he was afraid he had done something bad to her.

“Nothing,” she quickly reassured him, then nodded her head in the direction next to her. “It’s just that Mendel is still here and I’m not too keen on my dog witnessing where this is headed…”

“Oh,” Barry let out, relieved. He then laughed, looking over at their dog just lying next to them a foot or so away, seemingly oblivious to what his owners were doing. “I’ll get right on that,” he said as he quickly got off the bed and went to their door. “Come on, boy,” Barry called out.

The dog obeyed, jumping off the bed and following Barry.

“Mommy and Daddy just want a little alone time for right now,” he told the dog as he ushered Mendel out. Caitlin giggled.

“Now, where were we?” Barry asked as he shut their bedroom door, making his way back to the bed where his beautiful fiancé was sprawled lusciously out for him.

Caitlin reached out to him, guiding him to his previous position. “I think you were about to show me why I’m marrying you,” she said with a playful quirk.

And that he did.


	5. All I Want for Christmas

"There you are," Barry called out, closing the door to the back porch before making his way over to Caitlin, who had been leaning against the porch railing, staring out at the wintry scenery. He probably wouldn't have noticed her if she hadn't been wearing the rich red scarf he had gotten her for Christmas.  
  
"Here I am," she playfully confirmed.  
  
"I almost thought you went home without saying goodbye. What are you doing out here?" he wondered, sidling up besides her, resting his forearms on the railings like she was.  
  
Caitlin glanced over at him, a silly smile adoring her face. "Cisco has had one too many eggnogs and was suggesting one too many crazy ideas," she answered with a laugh. "I'm hiding out, hoping he sobers up enough by the time I go back in."  
  
"What kind of crazy ideas are we talking about here?" the speedster curiously asked, heavily amused. His interest only peaked as Caitlin ducked her head, faintly blushing.  
  
"Nothing, nothing," she tried to ensure him with a shake of her head.  
  
He smiled at her shyness. "It can't be much worse than him saying he wanted to ordain Wally and Jesse's wedding," Barry offered, earning him an incredulous gaze. "At least, that's what Cisco was saying before I stepped out."  
  
Caitlin heartily laughed, her nose twinkling cutely in only the way he's ever seen hers do. "Are they even engaged? Did I miss something?"  
  
"Nope," Barry answered bluntly, humorously. "I'm pretty sure Harry was about to have a heart attack when he heard it too."  
  
"Oh, poor Wally and Jesse," she sympathized over a slight chuckle, craning her neck to look in the window nearby, trying to see if she could spot the young couple. "Maybe I should get Cisco and take him home before he makes someone else his victim."  
  
Barry shook his head, waving the situation off. "It's been diffused," he told his personal physician. "Plus, there isn't any eggnog left, so I doubt he can get into too much more trouble."  
  
Caitlin nodded her head, accepting his excuse. Grinning softly, her gaze returned to the backyard, which was covered lightly in a few inches of snow. The almost full moon was shining right above, making the white frost look luminous.  
  
"Snow is so beautiful," she casually commented moments later, her eyes sweeping over the snow-covered items that were left out, like the old swing-set of theirs and a plastic chair.  
  
"Yeah, it is," the speedster agreed as he chanced a glance at his companion – his snow.  
  
"Oh!" she suddenly sounded, standing upright and breaking Barry out of his ravine. "I almost forgot," she said, digging into her coat pocket. "Your Christmas present," she told him, holding out a small box, about the size of a golf ball, covered in a Santa Claus wrapping paper.  
  
Barry took the gift, smiling curiously as he ripped it open. Opening the lid to the box, however, the forensic scientist was struck dumb. "A – a ring?" he questioned, puzzled. It was a very nice ring – golden with a protruding center piece that had his emblem on the top. "Are you proposing, Dr. Snow?" he joked.  
  
He looked up just in time to see her blush. The action left Barry quite satisfied.  
  
"No, no – um," she stuttered out. She took a breath, steadying herself. "It's actually a gift from Cisco," she clarified. "But seeing as he's quite inebriated right now…" she started and they both chuckled. "He spent a long time figuring it out, but he finally managed to cram your suit into this tiny little ring."  
  
Barry's head snapped up to look at his friend dubiously. "Seriously?!" he wondered in amazement.  
  
She excitedly smiled back. "All you have to do is hit that little button," she said, leaning forward to point it out, "and the suit will pop out."  
  
He looked down at the ring still in awe, then looked up at Caitlin. "This is amazing! I love it," he expressed.  
  
"This way you don't always have to run back to STAR Labs just to get your suit," she noted.  
  
Barry cocked his head to the side, weighing the issue over. While yes, running back to the lab was sometimes an inconvenience to the task at hand, he did enjoy seeing the team, specifically a certain member of the team, even if it was just for the briefest of seconds. "It's not always a bad thing," he admitted with a shrug, looking intently into her eyes.  
  
She quickly diverted her gaze, breaking their eye contact. She began to bite her lip. "I'm sorry though," she began, frowning. "I – I couldn't find anything to get you. Nothing seemed…right."  
  
Barry immediately shook his head. "You make sure I don't die after every mission," he simply stated, cracking a grateful smile her way. "I think that's a really awesome gift," he joked, but his words were deliberate and his eyes soft, trying to convey to her just how much he appreciated her and what she did for him.  
  
Caitlin looked down bashfully. "I'm just doing my job," she insisted, deflecting her praise. "I should still be able to get you something. I mean, even you managed to at least buy me a scarf," she said, pointing to the very article wrapped warmly around her neck.  
  
"Hey, I spent a good afternoon trying to find you the best scarf," he jested, causing his frosty friend to roll her eyes humorously.  
  
He studied her for a moment, really observing at her, taking in the way she was just so graceful and beautiful, even when she was rolling her eyes at him, especially when she was rolling her eyes at him. "Do you really want to get me something for Christmas?" he then asked, knowing it was plaguing her. She nodded. "Give me your scarf then."  
  
His personal physician's brows scrunched downwards and her lips jutted out, perplexed. "You want the scarf that you just gifted me to be your present?" she asked confusingly.  
  
"Just gimme," he said motioning with his hand for her to hand it over. "You'll see."  
  
Sending him a strange look, she wordlessly complied.  
  
After receiving the garment, he immediately placed it around her waist, tying it lightly with a bow. Caitlin peered down, regarding the scarf, even more confused. "I – I don't get it," she confessed, looking back up at her friend for help with the biggest, inquiring eyes.  
  
Barry's heart stuttered. He cleared his throat nervously. "Cait," he began, taking a brave step closer so that he could stare down into her warm brown eyes. "I want you…to be my present," he gently declared. "If – if that's okay with you," he added.  
  
Barry watched as her eyes widened, the pupils extracting before slowly expanding again as they watched him calculatedly. "Me?" she hesitantly asked.  
  
He nodded. "All I want for Christmas," he began, extending his hands up to cup her face delicately, gazing down at her affectionately, "or any other day for that matter, is you," he finished simply, breathlessly.  
  
Caitlin's eyes studied him for only a moment longer before she leaned up on her tip-toes and kissed him. The initial impact was simultaneously searing and sweet, her lips moving over his sensually, her hands gripping the front of his coat possessively. He opened his mouth, wanting, needing to taste more of her and she parted her lips reflexively.  
  
Their tongues met, sliding and curling over each other. He could still taste Grandma Esther's eggnog in her mouth, and despite not being able to get drunk, he felt intoxicated. And all he wanted was more and for this to never stop.  
  
Caitlin backed away first, panting and trying to regain her breath. Barry wasn't in any better condition but he couldn't help but chase after her, stealing a few more small kisses on her slightly swollen lips. She giggled against his mouth, and when he finally leaned back to look at her properly his heart swelled at the adorable content grin that she was wearing.  
  
With a loud thwack, the back door opened and hit the side of the house. "Whahooooooo," Cisco let out in celebration, staggering over to the couple with a million-watt smile spread across his face.  
  
He put both of his arms over their shoulders, letting his weight lean on them. "Barry! Caitlin! My best friends," he cheered, hugging them to him. "I'm so happy for you!" He then turned to Caitlin. "I guess now we don't have to go through with the mistletoe," he staged whispered, laughing.  
  
"Mistletoe?" Barry inquired.  
  
"Remember I said Cisco was coming up with crazy ideas?" she recounted. Barry nodded. "Well, one of them was to get you and me under a mistletoe."  
  
Barry smirked. "I knew there was a reason you wouldn't tell me," he teased her, causing the woman to roll her eyes. "Though I'd happily obliged. No mistletoe required."  
  
Caitlin blushed.  
  
"Awww," he cooed, having keenly watched the both of them like a ping-pong match throughout their conversation. "You guys are flirting. That's real cute. I'm gonna marry you guys too."  
  
Barry and Caitlin both fell into a fit of giggles, remembering their earlier conversation.  
  
"Okay, Cisco," Caitlin said, looking over at her best friend, giving him a supportive pat. "I think it's time for you to go home. Get your stuff."  
  
"Okay," the engineer agreed, nodding his head, making his way to the house almost zombie-like.  
  
As Cisco disappeared back into the house, Barry and Caitlin were left alone again. Immediately, Barry reached for her hand, pulling the doctor gently into his immediate personal space. "You still my present?" he whispered.  
  
She smiled shyly at him. "As long as you'll be mine too."  
  
The speedster beamed as he pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. "I think that can be arranged," he said. "Merry Christmas, Dr. Snow."  
  
"Merry Christmas, Mr. Allen," she replied, and they sealed it with a kiss.


	6. How to Make Gingerbreak Cookies

The doorbell rang, echoing throughout Joe's empty house. Barry jogged over to the entrance, half expecting who the guest was but still happy to her when he opened the door.

"Hey, Cait," he greeted, flashing her one of his trademark grins. "Thanks for coming," he added, stepping aside for her to come into the house.

"No problem," she said dismissively, shedding her winter coat and hanging it up on the coat hanger nearby. "I love baking," she happily proclaimed, then made her way to the kitchen with Barry following after her.

"So…" she began, searching the cabinets for bowls and other essentials that they might need. "What kind of cookies are we making?" she asked, regarding her speedy friend briefly before continuing her previous task.

Barry rubbed the back of his neck. "I kinda wanted to make gingerbread cookies, but the instructions were kind of intimidating," he admitted wearily, pointing to the cookbook out on the counter.

Caitlin sent him a dashing smile. "Lucky for you," she said, putting on an apron, "gingerbread cookies are my specialty."

Barry lips unconsciously lifted into a small smile, eyes softening with gratitude.

"Now," she said, handing him his own apron, "let's get this thing started."

…

Following the recipe, Caitlin portioned out all the ingredients.

"Alright, Barry, pour all of these ingredients," she said pointing to the flour, baking soda, ground ginger and ground cinnamon, "into this bowl right here and then mix it all until it's blended," she instructed, handing him a whisk. "Think you can handle it?" she asked, smiling teasingly at him.

He smirked. "Sounds simple enough."

As he worked on his bowl, Caitlin added the rest of the ingredients to a bigger bowl, blending them together with the automated mixer. After a few minutes, she turned to him. "You done?" He nodded, showing her his bowl.

She grinned. "Great, now pour it into mine." Barry did as he was told. "And pre-heat the oven to 350," she further instructed him.

"You know," she began conversationally, as she blended their two mixtures together. "This recipe is pretty unique."

Barry leaned back on the counter, raising an eyebrow at her comment. "Oh? How?"

"The recipe called for butterscotch pudding mix instead of molasses," she answered.

"Is – is that bad?" Barry wondered, concerned that he had looked at the wrong recipe.

Caitlin laughed good-naturedly. "Oh no, just most recipes use molasses," she told him. "It's not too uncommon for people to switch things up. Who's recipe is this, by the way?"

The speedster was silent for a moment before answering, "My mom's."

"Oh…" she let out softly, stopping the mixer.

Barry looked over at her, sending her a reassuring smile that he was okay. "Her cookies were just my favorite, and I've been missing them more than usual lately," he confessed with a shrug. "Thought if I could at least make them that it would feel like she was with me somehow." He shook his head. "It's silly."

His personal physician sent him a sympathetic smile, but there was a gleam of understanding in her eyes. "Not silly at all," she consoled him, touching him comfortingly on the arm. "Right after my dad died, I always wanted to eat lasagna," she shared with a silly laugh, causing him to involuntarily grin. "It was his favorite, and just the smell of it reminded me of him and made me feel better."

They warmly stared at each other for a moment, taking in the other's tales. Barry couldn't help but feel a multitude of appreciation towards his friend. She always just seemed to understand what he was going through. Always knew just what to say and how to make him feel better. He took a step forward – to do what, he didn't know – but they were ultimately interrupted by the oven going off, indicating it was done pre-heating.

Caitlin cleared her throat, appearing mildly flustered. "Now," she said suddenly, turning back to the batter. "The recipe says it has to be cooled for an hour. Buuuuut…" she stressed and trailed off. She hovered her one hand over the bowl and began to release a light frost.

Barry chuckled, peering at the now freshly chilled gingerbread mixture. "That's amazing!"

She grinned up at him proudly. "Next, we take the dough," she said, taking a big ball of it and placing it on a board, "and roll it out," she explained, handing him a rolling pin. He took the cue and began rolling the pin over the ball of dough until it was completely flat.

She then held up the cookie cutter in the shape of a person. "Do the honors?" she asked.

"Gladly," he told her, taking the cutter and placing it into the dough to cut into it, leaving behind little people. As he did this, he noticed Caitlin taking out a baking tray and covering cooking spray over it.

"Once you got your people done, put them on the tray," she instructed. "Make sure there is enough space between them too."

Barry did as she indicated. They were able to fit 8 on the tray. "One for each of us," Barry pointed out.

She smiled, taking the tray to put it in the oven. "Maybe when everyone comes over later, we can all personally decorate our own." Barry readily agreed, liking the idea.

"So, how long are they gonna be in for?" Barry wondered.

"About 10 to 15 minutes," she estimated. "Or until the edges are brown. Whatever comes first."

Barry nodded his head, but then his mind went thoughtful. "So where did you learn how to bake so well?" he asked. "From what you've told me of your parents, they don't seem like the baking type."

She giggled. "You'd be correct," she stated. "My grandma Snow was the baker. When she was younger she even worked in a bakery, but that had already closed by the time I was born," she supplied. "I practically lived at her house in the summers when I was a kid, and she taught me everything she knew."

Barry smiled as he listened to her talk about her childhood and her grandmother. He loved learning about her past, the Caitlin he never got to meet. He could just picture a young Cait, covered in flour, helping her grandmother whip up a delicious concoction.

"Your mom baked?" she curiously asked, nodding to the cookbook he had.

"Baked, cooked," he answered, shrugging. "She did a little bit of everything. But her gingerbread cookies were the best."

"Well then, I can't wait to try them."

The corners of Barry's lips rose. "Thanks Cait," he said. "If I had done this alone it would have been a disaster," he finished with a snicker.

"I'm sure you would have fared fine," she said nicely.

Barry snorted. "The only thing I've ever baked before today were those prepackaged cookies from the super market," he told her, causing the doctor to amusingly chuckle.

"Maybe I stand corrected?" she joked, before going to the oven to check on their cookies. "They look done!" she commented excitedly, taking the tray out and placing it on the counter to cool.

They waited a few minutes, talking easily amongst themselves, from the new metas they've run into recently to their mutual friends in Star City.

"I think they are cooled enough to eat," Caitlin surmised after touching the cookies briefly.

Barry beamed. "You ready?"

They both took a respective cookie and bit into it.

"Mmmmm," Caitlin let out appreciatively.

"Good, huh?" Barry asked with a toothy smile, already taking another bite of his gingerbread.

"Very," Caitlin answered. "I think I might have to steal this recipe, Mr. Allen."

He chuckled. "On one condition," he said. "If you're going to make any, leave a few for me," he bargained, sticking his hand out for her to shake.

She rolled her eyes playfully, but shook her friend's hand regardless. "Deal."

The corner of Barry's eyes crinkled as he watched her softly. "Thanks again, Cait," he told her gently, leaning down to give her a small kiss on her cheek. "It means a lot."

The bio-chemist's face grew red, before replying back softly, "Anytime, Barry. Anytime."


	7. Sick Day

Caitlin was currently engulfed under her blankets, sleeping soundly, when a round of knocks were heard against her apartment door, waking her from her slumber. She tiredly got up, popping her bird-nested hair from under her covers, trying to determine whether what she heard was real or a dream. A second string of knocks then thudded, making the bio-chemist's mind up for her.

Languidly, she got out of bed, keeping her blanket securely wrapped around herself as she approached her door.

"Barry?" she let out unsurely when she opened the door, squinting her eyes in confusion. "What are you doing here?" she asked woozily, running a conscious hand through her hair in an effort to tame it.

Her speedster friend lightly shrugged. "Cisco told me you were sick. So I thought I'd stop by to see how you were feeling," he answered, casting her a concerned glance. "I brought some soup too," he added, holding up a container.

"Thanks, Barry," she said appreciatively, taking the container of soup. "And thanks for stopping by," she continued, making to shut the door, but her speedy friend was just too fast for that.

"I think I should stay," he told her, pushing her door back open to enter her apartment.

Caitlin scoffed, but it turned into a series of coughs. "Barry, I'm fine."

"You don't sound fine." He looked her over, an action that made Caitlin feel far more self-conscious. "You don't look fine either."

"I'm a doctor," she tried. "I know what to do. It's just a slight cough."

The forensic scientist raised the back of his hand to her forehead. "And you're burning up," he stated worriedly. "Come on," he said, taking the soup container away from her to place it on a nearby table, "let's get you back to bed," he continued, gently taking her by the shoulders and walking her to her room.

"Barry, I'm not a child," she insisted tiredly as he helped her on the bed and began tucking her in, wrapping her blankets around her firmly.

Barry sighed, looking down at his personal physician. "I know you're not, but sometimes you have to let people take care of you, especially when you're sick," he told her. "And with my metabolism, I'm probably the best choice to help you since I won't get sick."

"We don't know that for sure," Caitlin countered weakly, her eyes already starting to droop.

Barry smiled down at her, his eyes so gentle. "I'll take the chance," he told her, winking at her jokingly, before exhaustion took over her and she slept.

…

Blinking awake, Caitlin stared at the ceiling. It was still day, proven by the fact that her room was still fully lit. She frowned though, trying to remember what happened before she fell asleep. She briefly remembered Barry coming over and helping her into bed. However, laying there and listening to the sounds of her apartment, she didn't hear anyone moving around, and she didn't see anyone in her peripherals.

"Barry?" she croaked out curiously, wondering if he was still there.

She heard footfalls from the other side of her room come closer. "Yeah, Cait?" he asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. "You need something?"

She craned her neck to see him more properly. The fact that he was still here pleased her more than it should have.

"How long was I out?" she wondered, struggling to sit herself up, so Barry aided.

"Just a little over an hour," he answered, grabbing some of her extra pillows to place behind her back so she was more comfortable. Barry then rested his hand on her forehead, like he had done earlier, to judge her temperature. "You're still really warm, but not as badly as before."

Caitlin nodded, taking in the information. She was still feeling tired and shitty, but she felt a little bit better. "Do you think I could have some of that soup now?" she asked as sweetly as she could – she hated having to ask people for things.

Barry sent her a gentle smile. "Of course," he commented, patting her leg lightly before getting up to go get the food. "Be right back."

He was gone no longer than a few minutes, and when he came back he not only had her soup and a water bottle for her, but a movie sticking out under his arm.

"Here you go," Barry said, laying the bowl of soup delicately on her lap. He put her water next to her on her night stand. "You should take some of this medicine too," he added, dropping the pills into her hand.

"Thank you," Caitlin expressed greatly with gratitude, swallowing down the tablets with a sip of her water.

Barry waved it off. "You know, walking through your apartment, I couldn't help but notice that you hadn't decorated for Christmas at all," he commented, slightly frowning, probably because Christmas was only a few days away.

Caitlin uneasily shrugged as she took the first spoonful of her soup. "Haven't had the time," she admitted sadly.

Barry nodded his head in understanding, but slowly his lips raised into a chipper grin. "Mind if we watch a classic to get in the spirit then?" he asked, holding up the movie she had noticed earlier – 'A Christmas Carol,' the 1984 version with George C. Scott.

She lazily smiled, eyes half-lidded. "Put it in," she said, gesturing to her TV set in the corner of her room.

Barry quickly popped the DVD into her player and then made his back towards the bed. "Mind if I sit next to you?" he questioned, motioning to the other side of the bed.

Caitlin's heart skipped over its next beat, but she forced herself to swallow down her nerves. She nodded her head silently, not trusting her voice to not betray her.

The speedster smiled widely before sitting down on the side of the bed. He toed off his shoes and swung his body around so that he was sitting directly next to her, back against the headboard, so close that she could feel his body heat radiating from him. Caitlin looked directly ahead, watching the previews playing on the TV in an effort to ignore her friend's close presence.

"You like the soup?" he whispered by ear, causing the doctor to jump but luckily not spill her food. "Sorry," he immediately apologized, chuckling.

Caitlin took a deep breath, still keeping her eyes on the television. "It's good," she said.

"Good…" Barry let out, tapping his fingers on his thighs absentmindedly, waiting for the movie, which was just about to start. "Is this your favorite movie rendition of 'A Christmas Carol'?" he asked of the movie.

She nodded, putting her soup on her night table, having eaten all that she could. "Yeah," she answered softly as the opening began. "When I was a kid, we watched it every year at my house on Christmas Eve."

He hummed next to her. "This is a good version, but I have to say, the Muppets' version is my favorite."

Caitlin let out an unexpected laugh. "You can't be serious?" she wondered, looking over at her companion incredulously only for her breath to get caught in her throat at the sight of Barry Allen, all long limbs, lounging easily on her bed. The view was far from an unpleasant one.

"What?" he playfully asked over his own chuckle. "Did you ever see it?"

"Not – not since I was a kid," she answered distractingly, her mind still mainly preoccupied by the sight of Barry in her bed.

"Well, it still holds up," he proclaimed. "And the music is still catchy. We should watch that one next," he offered, peering down at her with such kind eyes. "I could flash over real quick and get my copy."

She shivered under his gaze.

"You getting cold?" he asked, having noticed the chill. His lips pulled downwards as he reached over her to hike the blankets up her body and over her shoulders.

"It's just the fever, I'm fine," she tried to reassure him.

"Here," he said, opening up his arms. She looked at him dubiously. "Let me help warm you up," he further explained.

Caitlin could feel her face heating up. "Barry…" she started warily.

The speedster rolled his eyes. "I'm not gonna get sick," he told her, obviously thinking that her uneasiness stemmed from her worry about him getting sick. "Now come on," he prodded, grasping her and easing her down into his arms, where her head ended up resting on his chest, just below his head.

"Warm?" he asked, rubbing the side of her arm comfortingly.

"Yeah…" she softly let out. She was _a lot_ warmer. Every place her body made contact with his felt like it was on fire, scorching. Not to mention her insides were knotting and churning at their intimate proximity.

It took several minutes, but eventually, Caitlin gave up the pretense of being worried, and let her muscles loosen comfortably in Barry's embrace as they watched the movie silently. And as the film progressed, she felt her eyes growing heavy as she allowed herself to be bathed in his warmness and be lullabied by his beating heart.

She faintly remembered seeing the ghost of Christmas present and a soft, fleeting pressure on the top of her head before her eyes completely closed, falling back to sleep.

…

She woke up, her room pitch black. She was alone too, which didn't go unnoticed by Caitlin for too long as she frowned at the loss of Barry's warmth and presence. She turned to face her bedroom door, noting the sliver of light behind it.

"Barry?" she called out, hating that she sounded like a lost child.

"Be right there," she faintly heard, before a gust of wind signaled his entrance.

"Hey," he greeted, squatting down to her level, "How you feeling?"

Caitlin took a moment to think about it. She actually didn't feel as lethargic anymore. She felt clearer. "A lot better," she admitted.

Barry, once again, felt her forehead. "You don't feel that warm either," he mentioned. "I think we broke the fever."

The corners of her lips instinctively raised. "It must be because I had a really good caregiver."

The light that came in from outside her room fell just enough on his face for her to see him grin proudly, happily. "Do you think you're well enough to get up?" he questioned. "I brought the Muppet's Christmas Carol over. We could watch it in the living room and you can get up to stretch a bit."

She laughed, shaking her head amusingly at his mention of the Muppets. "That's sounds great," she confessed softly, and it really did. Sick or not, she liked spending this much time with Barry – it was refreshing.

Barry beamed, helping her detangle herself from her covers and get out of bed.

She walked carefully out of her bedroom, her legs feeling like jelly from not being used most of the day, but upon entering her living room, she froze, gasping.

There, hung up and dangling around the entire room, were Christmas lights. She looked around, her whole apartment was actually adorned with her usual Christmas decorations, completed with a nicely decorated tree that was in the corner by the balcony doors.

"I know how much you love Christmas, and I know the reason you haven't been able to decorate is because you've been helping me with Flash stuff," Barry said, coming up behind her. She turned, looking at the man with such thankfulness. "So," he said, shrugging and gesturing to the decorations, "I thought I'd do it for you."

Caitlin swallowed down an array of emotions. Barry doing all of this for her was incomparably sweet. "Thank you. So much. For everything," she told him, her eyes starting to get watery.

He smiled, reaching out to her to wipe away a tear that managed to escape from her eye. "You're more than welcomed," he softly breathed, looking down at her with a soft intensity, like small waves crashing on the beach – calm and soothing. "I'd do anything for you, Cait."

There was a hollowness within her that needed to be satiated by an action. An action that showed him how much today truly meant to her, how much _he_ truly meant to her. Her body went on autopilot as she leaned up and laid a delicate kiss on his cheek, consequently brushing briefly against the side of his lips, leaving behind a pleasant tingle.

She pulled away only for Barry's hands to grasp onto her hips, holding her in place. He looked down at her, his eyes a darker shade of green, but watching her carefully, trying to find something in her own orbs.

Whatever he found, immediately led to his lips pressing fervently against her own.

She let herself enjoy the feeling for a moment, before the doctor in her objected, kindly pushing him away. "I'm sick," she reminded him, panting lightly.

He licked his lips, an action that Caitlin's couldn't help but zero in on. "I'll take the chance," he said, echoing what he said earlier that day.

She laughed, shaking her head humorously. Oh, how she wanted to not care and kiss him until the sun came up. But she was also his doctor, and that care for him always instinctively came first.

"Why don't we watch your Muppets movie?" she offered tenderly, reaching down to intertwine their hands. "And if by tomorrow I don't have a fever anymore…" she trailed off, lifting her one shoulder and eyeing him encouragingly.

He grinned, so big too that his usual laugh lines next to his lips seemed to fold on to themselves. "Okay," he said softly, his words weighted by his understanding of what she meant.

Barry then excitedly pulled her to the couch, sidling up next to her as he sat down and started the movie. "Now let the Muppet's knock your socks off," he proclaimed, throwing his arm around her shoulders.

Caitlin giggled into his shirt, finding Barry's childish enthusiasm endearing, but also because she was just happy, so happy. And even though she spent most of the day sick, it had been one of the best days in her life.


	8. Christmas Morning III

Barry woke up to the sensation of kisses being peppered up his neck and across his jaw. His eyes blinkingly opened, trying to adjust to the light of the morning. Thankfully, his wife’s head came into view, blocking the sun, and ultimately looking like an angel with the way the light haloed around her.

“Merry Christmas,” she greeted happily, straddling his waist and leaning down to give him a proper kiss on the lips.

He looked up at her confusingly, mind still ladened with sleep. “Is this a dream?” he honestly wondered, furrowing his brows.

Caitlin giggled cutely. “No,” she whispered amusingly, stealing another short kiss. “Why? Is this what happens in your dreams?”

Barry cheekily smiled as he lifted his hands to her waist, letting them wander down and over her bottom. “Sometimes, though usually you’re not wearing so many layers,” he pointed out, eyeing the blue satin cami and shorts she was currently wearing.

She bit her lip, trying not to laugh. “What am I going to do with you, Mr. Allen?” she asked, shaking her head humorously.

“You could give your husband another kiss, Dr. Snow-Allen,” he stated, pointing to his puckered lips.

She rolled her eyes, but complied, sliding her lips expertly over Barry’s. The speedster immediately deepened it, pulling her closer, forcing her body to fall flush against his own. Her already pert nipples poked through the thin fabric of her blouse, grazing his chest and eliciting a heightened groan from both of them.

Placing a hand on her back for support, Barry then flipped them over, laying his wife gently on their soft bed as he hovered over her. He stopped for a moment, however, taking in her beauty. There was just something about her lately that seemed to have her glowing, and their dark sheets against her pristine skin was only amplifying that radiance further.

“What?” she asked, her tone giving away to her brief self-consciousness.

He happily smiled down at her, eyes soft as he regarded her. “Nothing,” he insisted, leaning down to press a kiss on her lips before trailing his lips down her neck and over the swell of her breast. “I’m just the luckiest guy in the world,” he told before lifting her night shirt up and over her head.

…

“Merry Christmas to me,” Barry let out, panting as he rolled off his wife, spent. “That was your Christmas gift, right? Because I really wouldn’t mind.”

Caitlin let out a booming laugh. “No,” she said, shaking her head, crawling into her husband’s arms. “This hadn’t been my intention when I was waking you up,” she admitted, drawing lazy circles on his bare chest.

Barry turned his head to look at his wife properly. “And what had been your intention?” he asked, tucking her hair behind her ear and caressing her cheek delicately.

She smiled contently, leaning into Barry’s hand. “I wanted to give you your present,” she told him, kissing the inside of his wrist.

“This early?” he asked surprisingly, knowing it was only just past 7 in the morning. “Look who’s impatient now?” Barry teased, referring to previous Christmases when he was the one impatient to give Caitlin her gift.

“I’ll be right back,” she whispered, detangling herself from Barry’s hold.

He watched happily as his naked wife reached down to steal his shirt from the floor and then scurry out of their bedroom excitedly.

To waste time, Barry reached down to grab his boxer briefs, putting them back on. Just as he hoisted up his briefs, Caitlin came back into the room, holding a rectangular-shaped box with Mendel following after her.

“Here we go,” she said, crawling back on the bed. “Come on, Mend,” she hollered, hitting the mattress to indicate to the dog to jump up. Barry raised an eyebrow at the action. “I want us all to be here when you open the gift,” she explained once she noticed his questioning expression.

Barry shrugged off the weirdness, taking the bag from Caitlin. She seemed so excited, her eyes so big and starry, that it was rubbing off on him as he tore through the gift wrap eagerly.

He popped off the lid of the box, but furrowed his brows as he looked at his gift. It was a simple, white t-shirt, really. However, it was what was printed on the shirt that puzzled him: “World’s Best Dad”.

“Wow…” he let out simply, smiling (though a tad forced due to his confusion) to not upset his wife. It wasn’t until he noticed Mendel laying peacefully on the bed that the gift finally clicked. His smile turned a little more genuine. “I am a great dad, aren’t I, buddy,” he asked the dog, scratching it behind the ears. 

The speedster then picked up the shirt to get a better look at it, but heard something fall back into the box. Setting the shirt aside to see what it was, Barry immediately froze. There, laying in front of him was a pregnancy test with a positive sign staring right up at him.

Barry covered his mouth in awe, feeling pressure building behind his eyes. He couldn’t look away from it. He couldn’t believe it. He was going to be a dad – an actual dad – with a baby that was going to have half his genes. Barry couldn’t help but wonder who the child take after more, like if they would have her nose or his. A whole assortment of possibilities about what the kid would look and be like were blurring though his mind and he fell in love with each one of them.

“Barry,” his wife’s loving voice spoke, breaking him out of his ravine. He looked over at her, a lone, but happy tear escaping his eye. “You’re not mad I waited to tell you, are you?”

He immediately shook his head. “No. No, of course not,” he assured her, smiling so brightly up at her as he cupped her face into his hands. “We’re gonna have a baby?”

The corner of Caitlin’s lips lifted high. “Yeah, we’re going to have a baby,” she confirmed softly, raising her hands to rest against his own.

Barry let out a shaky breath, a few more happy tears falling. “This is the best Christmas gift ever,” he told her sincerely, before giving his wife a kiss that he hoped poured all his love for her and their unborn child in it.

He laughed happily as he rested his forehead against Caitlin’s. “How far long are you?”

She rubbed her nose gently against his. “Almost 2 months,” she told him. “But I’ve only known for a couple weeks.”

He nodded gently against her, his whole body bursting with joy and love. He was going to have a child in 7 months and he couldn’t be more excited. “I love you,” he told her, backing on a fraction away to give her a lingering kiss on her forehead.

“I love you too,” Caitlin said watery, fighting her own happy tears.

Barry looked down at her still flat stomach, running a curious hand over it. He then lifted Caitlin’s shirt up to expose her stomach, kissing the space above her belly button. “And I love you too,” he whispered to the growing child inside her belly. “So, _so_ , _so much_.”


	9. Let's Skate

"Barry," she let out humorously, watching the speedster as he hung onto her direly as they stepped onto the ice. 'Why didn't you tell me you didn't know how to skate?" she asked.

He let out a noise that sounded partly like a sigh and partly like a groan. "You seemed really excited about the idea, and I didn't want to disappoint you, especially not on our first date," he told her, flashing her a hesitant smile.

She smiled back, shaking her head fondly at the man. "I'd rather not have to give you stiches on our first date either," she lightly joked, though internally she knew it was still a good possibility if his wobbly skates on the slicky surface indicated anything.

"I'll be fine," he assured her, at least standing relatively well on the cool surface now. "I've been coming over here every night this past week, practicing," he told. "I think I've got the gist of it down," he said, chuckling, "I just can't stop, so maybe we shouldn't go too fast."

Caitlin let out a lively laugh. "I promise we won't go fast," she promised him, taking his hand securely in hers as they started slowly gliding down around the rink.

"What made you want to ice skate?" Barry asked once he felt confident enough that he wouldn't fall on his ass trying to make conversation with his pretty date.

Caitlin shrugged, smiling at the Christmas lights and passerbys around them. "It's almost Christmas time and I hadn't yet skated this year."

"Do you skate a lot?" Barry asked curiously.

"Not so much anymore," she admitted. "But when I was a kid, we had a pond close to my house that always froze over in the winter, and my dad would take me there a lot. I even figure skated a little when I was in junior high."

Barry looked at Caitlin, accessing her, trying to imagine this brilliant scientist doing figure 8's on the ice. "I never would have guessed," he honestly told her, laughing. "What else are you hiding from me?" he inquired, his tone light and non-demanding.

"There's a lot of things you still don't know about me, Mr. Allen," she jested, giving him an easy smile that warmed his insides.

"It'd like to know though," he told her, softly but seriously as he squeezed their joined hands.

Her lips twitched into a small smile. "Well, we're on the right track," she said, gesturing to the air around them, referring to their first date.

"Yeah, we are," Barry agreed toothily, staring at her, mesmerized. She was a picture to behold with her twinkling eyes and flushed red cheeks, wearing an adorable Santa cap on her head that the people at the front of the park were giving out to customers. He just felt like the luckiest guy to be in her presence that evening.

"Barry, watch out!" he heard briefly through his Caitlin-induced fog, before he skated right into a wall, falling down. Consequently, because they were holding hands, he brought Caitlin down with him too.

Barry winced, turning to his date. "Sorry, Cait," he apologized.

She gently giggled, looking nonplussed about the whole situation. "You alright?" she asked kindly, looking at him entertainingly with pursed lips.

"Yeah," he expressed, rubbing at his forehead. "I think I'll live."

Caitlin let out another laugh as she stood up. "Come on," she said, sticking her hands out and helping him up. "Let me look you over."

…

His personal physician flashed her light into his eyes, accessing the last of her tests on him. "I can confirm that you will live," she teased, putting her tools away in her bag. "I think we should take a break from the ice for a little bit though."

Barry nodded, agreeing. "I think that would be safe for everyone," he said, looking over at the skaters still on the ice, breezing by them effortlessly.

Caitlin lightly snorted, patting him on the arm. "Why don't we get some funnel cake?" she suggested, pointing to the stand next to them that was advertising it.

After getting one to share, they sat at a table by the ice rink walls, people watching and talking animatedly about everything and nothing all at once. He loved talking to her, learning about her thoughts on things, as simple as the weather to timelines and the multiverse.

"Mmmm," Barry let out pleasingly after he ate a bite of their snack. "Funnel cake always hits the spot."

"I can see that," Caitlin said, snickering as she reached over to wipe powdered sugar off his chin.

Barry's cheeks turned red, mortified. "I'm just becoming more and more of an embarrassment, aren't I?" he glumly asked, partially joking.

Caitlin immediately shook her head, her eyes so gentle and affectionate. "I happen to think you're pretty darn adorable, Barry Allen."

He goofily smiled, not able to help himself.

Looking down, he then noticed that there was only one piece of their funnel cake left. He picked it up, offering it to Caitlin. "Here," he said, hovering the piece close to her mouth.

Smiling coyly, she ate the food off his fingers, her lips grazing them in the process. It sent a chill up his spine as he was once again left mesmerized by her. This time, however, she was looking back, just as spellbound as he was.

They both leaned forward, like a force was simultaneously pulling them together. Their lips touched, sending their hearts ablaze. It was a tad clumsy too, but only because they were both too busy smiling like idiots to kiss the other properly, but neither minded.

"Let's skate again," Barry said once they separated.

Caitlin looked into his eyes, watching for any hesitation. "You sure? I don't want you to get hurt again."

Barry shrugged. "I heal fast," he joked. "Plus, I have this personal physician nearby. I'm sure if I got hurt bad enough, she'll come to me rescue."

The bio-chemist laughed, shaking her head good-naturedly. "You make her sound like a hero."

"That's because she is," he told her sincerely, before taking her hand and heading back to the ice.


	10. Movie Night

“Is Cisco on is way over?” Barry asked, stepping into Caitlin’s living room with a full bowl of popcorn in his hand.

Caitlin sighed, setting up her TV for their Christmas movie marathon that they were going to have. “He just texted me saying he’s trying to find an uber that will drive in the current blizzard we’re having,” she said, pointing out her nearby window.

Barry walked over to the window to view the damage. His eyes immediately widened at the snow covered sight. “Wow, it really snowed a lot since I got here,” he noted, scratching the side of his head.

“He said to start without him,” Caitlin relayed the information. “As long as we don’t watch _Die Hard_.”

The speedster chuckled. “Maybe I should speed over to get him,” Barry suggested.

The bio-chemist shook her head. “With all that snow and ice out there, you’d probably get to him faster by walking regularly,” Caitlin pointed out. “Also, you could really hurt yourself speeding in conditions like this.”

Barry sighed, but conceded, walking back to the couch and taking a seat next to Caitlin. “What shall we watch then?” he questioned, looking at all the movies laid out nicely on Caitlin’s coffee table.

“How about _Scrooge_?” she offered, picking up the DVD case. “Cisco said he doesn’t really care for it anyway.”

Barry looked over at his personal physician, aghast. “What?” he breathed out in disbelief. “He doesn’t like _Scrooge_?”

Caitlin raised both of her hands. “Don’t shoot the messenger,” she said wryly. “I’m just repeating what he told me last year.”

The forensic scientist shook his head, still in disbelief. “It’s a classic,” he defended.

“I know,” Caitlin agreed, getting up to put the movie’s disc in her DVD player. “I guess Cisco is just not one for musicals,” she said as she sat back down next to Barry, shrugging.

“Well at least we have taste,” Barry said, grabbing the popcorn to put in between him and Caitlin.

“Damn right,” Caitlin said, nodding, her eyes intent on the opening credits.

The pair then spent the whole movie reciting the lines and singing along to the movie, laughing pleasantly with each other as they did.

Once the movie ended, Caitlin sat back on the couch, thinking thoughtfully. “Do you think _this_ is why Cisco doesn’t like the movie?” Caitlin questioned, lifting her leg on the couch to turn towards her companion.

Barry looked at her puzzlingly as he mimicked her movement.

“Because we sing along and laugh through the whole thing?” she further explained over a giggle.

“I don’t know,” he told her honestly. “Maybe he’s just jealous that he can’t keep up with us.”

Caitlin snorted. “Or maybe just you, Mr. Smooth-Voice. I sound like a dying whale,” she stated, nose wrinkling at her misfortune.

Laughter bubbled out of Barry. “Don’t be so hard on yourself,” he told her, laying a comforting hand on her knee. “At least you sound like a _cute_ , dying whale?” he tried to offer, biting his lip to prevent laughing even more.

She shook her head amusingly. “Cute, though?” she repeated, raising an eyebrow at his wording, not quite sure what he meant.

Barry blushed, smiling hesitantly. They were silent as they looked at each other, before Barry softly confirmed, “Yeah…cute.”

Caitlin’s breath hitched as she looked at Barry unsurely. The air was thickening and growing tense – like it was waiting and building on a moment. Part of her wanted to run, but his calming green eyes kept her rooted. “Barry,” she breathed out, so faint, eyes drawn to his lips fleetingly before they return back to his orbs.

His soothing eyes only got larger as his head moved closer. “Cait,” he whispered lowly, looking carefully into her eyes, searching, confirming, before he dipped his lips down on hers.

Her eyes immediately closed under the pleasure of the contact. His strong hands went to her waist, bunching up the fabric of her shirt, causing featherlike touches to graze her midriff. Her hands went straight into his hair, tugging and pulling as he slid his lips over hers sensually.

Still kissing, Caitlin leaned back, forcing Barry to follow her. He laughed against her lips, momentarily stopping as they positioned themselves more comfortably on the couch, his weight very much on her, but she didn’t mind – it made it all the more real and tangible.

They met back at the mouth in a long, drugging kiss, grappling at each other hungrily. His tongue poked against her lips and she readily invited him in, curling and swirling, purely savoring how the other’s tasted and becoming addicted to it. The temperature in the room felt like they were in a furnace, and she can feel sweat forming on the top of her forehead.

She tugged up Barry’s shirt, letting her hand run up the smooth planes of his chest and run back down towards the muscles in his abs. The speedster pulled away from their kiss, breathing heavily as he looked down at her with lustful eyes. They seemed to come to the same conclusion as they both jumped to help the other out of their shirts, flinging them across the room as they dove back into each other’s embrace.

His lips let hot, open kisses down her throat until they reached one of her sensitive points and she moaned, arching her back, rubbing up against Barry, feeling his want.  Her nails dug into his back as he continued his assault, finding more sensitive spots and paying them much detail.

“Barry,” she gasped out. He pulled back, looking down at her, chest rising and falling rapidly with his pants. “Bedroom,” she merely stated, knowing exactly where this night was headed.

Meanwhile outside of Caitlin’s apartment, Cisco was attempting to buzz into the building for the 5th time, and texting and calling both Barry and Caitlin for what felt like the gabillionth time.

“Hey, guys…again,” Cisco started, staring up at Caitlin’s building, “I don’t know why you aren’t answering, but I’m here…outside…in the cold…and my uber left, so it’d be great if you guys let me in…” the recording then cut him off.

Cisco sighed, annoyed and a bit bitter. “They _sooo_ better not be watching _Die Hard_.”


	11. Snow Day

Central City had just had its first snowfall of the season the night before. Five inches of the white powder were now on the ground, and although Barry had to be more careful running around in it, the child in him still was ecstatic. He always had loved the snow, winter easily being his favorite season because of it.

Finishing work early, Barry sped over to STAR Labs, finding Caitlin and Cisco doing their usual tasks when the city was oddly quiet. Cisco was working on his gloves, trying to fix out a kink, whereas Caitlin was in the med bay, going over some of his recent tests results.

“Hey,” Barry greeted after sliding into the cortex.

Both Caitlin and Cisco stopped what they were doing and came into the main room to greet him.  

“So…” Barry started, pursing his lips as he tried to find a way to ask, “are you guys doing something super important, that can’t wait?” he asked.

Cisco and Caitlin looked at each other, both shrugging. “I don’t think so,” Caitlin answered for the two STAR Labs employees. “Why?” she curiously questioned.

Barry’s face broke out into a huge grin. “It’s just that it snowed and, I don’t know,” he said rolling his shoulders bashfully, “I wanted to make a snowman or something.”

Caitlin giggled, finding the speedster quite amusing. “Barry Allen, how old are you?”

“What?” he asked, only getting mildly flustered. “Age is just a number.”

Caitlin affectionately rolled her eyes.

“Dude, I’m in,” Cisco said, already crossing the floor to where he hung his jacket and other winter accessories. “I’m like going stir crazy in here. I need to do something fun and youthful,” he dramatically stated.

“You were just playing rock ‘em, sock ‘em robots with Wally this morning,” Caitlin pointed out, biting on her lip in an effort to refrain from laughing.

Cisco looked away from his friends. “That doesn’t count,” he muttered, swooshing his scarf around his neck theatrically.

“What about you, Dr. Snow?” Barry then asked, turning to his personal physician, smiling encouragingly.

“I don’t know…” she said, wincing slightly.

Barry clasped his hands together. “Pleaseee,” he begged, sticking his lower lip out, pouting. “Snow can’t be fun without Snow, of the Caitlin variety.”

Caitlin shook her head humorously, finding Barry’s pout to be quite convincing though. “I would, but I’m not exactly dressed to go out in the snow,” she said, pointing down at her dress and heels.

With a quick gust, Barry was gone, and before they couldn’t even say a word, he was back, holding out clothes for Caitlin to change into.

“Did you seriously just…?” Caitlin started to ask, though her answer was right in front of her. “Nevermind,” she said, taking the clothes and boots he brought for her and walking into the other room to change.

Barry grinned winningly, rubbing his hands together excitingly. “This is gonna be great!”

…

“Okay,” Barry said as he and Cisco lifted the snowman’s head onto his body. “Now we just need stuff for his face and arms.”

Caitlin quickly morphed an icicle in her palm. “Will this do for a nose?” she asked.

Barry grinned, taking the newly formed object from her. “This will be perfect,” he said, eyeing it in awe before placing it in the middle of the snowman’s face.

“Do we have buttons or something inside, Cisco?” Barry asked, after searching in his immediate area for something to use was futile.

Cisco scratched his head, thinking. “I think I still have some at my workbench,” he said. “I’ll go check,” the engineer said, already walking back into the building.

Once Cisco was out of sight, Barry turned to Caitlin, grinning mischievously. “You want to have a little fun with Cisco?” he asked.

Caitlin gave him a funny face. “Fun, how?” she asked cautiously. “Wasn’t building a snowman supposed to be the fun?”

“And it was,” Barry admitted, nodding. “But…” he began, reaching down for a wad of snow and compacting it into his hand to make a snowball. “What’s more fun than an old fashioned snowball fight?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

The bio-chemist couldn’t help but grin at his antics. “I would say that this is a bit cruel, but considering Cisco has not stopped calling me Elsa, you know from _Frozen_ , I think it’s time I finally got a little payback,” she said, forming a ball of snow in her hand, smiling impishly.

Barry stared at her for a moment, his lips raising in an unbelieving smile, his eyes darkening just a couple shades darker. “That was kinda hot,” he said.

Caitlin rolled her eyes, causing Barry to laugh as she pushed him closer to the front doors of STAR Labs, getting ready for their attack.

They only had to wait a few minutes before Cisco walked out, holding a box full of buttons and other little trinkets that they could use. Looking up from the box, however, Cisco then saw he was alone. “Barry? Caitlin?” he called out confusingly.

Barry and Caitlin looked at each other, arms poised and ready to throw. “Hey, Cisco!” Barry hollered, and just as the engineer turned to his friend, he was hit with two snowballs right in the chest.

He was left stunned for only a moment before he saw an influx of snowballs making their way towards him. “Oh, hell no!” Cisco said, dropping the box to take cover behind the snowman.

And although they hit their target, Barry and Caitlin didn’t relent as they hurled more and more snowballs his way, some hitting the snowman, others whirling passed it. Time to time they would see a lone snowball thrown their way, but it would barely reach their feet.

“This is not fair,” they heard Cisco yell. “Not only is this two against one, but one of you is making these at super speed while the other is forming them magically in her fist! This is like a _300_ execution, instead with snowballs!”

Barry and Caitlin laughed heartily, collapsing to the snow-covered ground tired and worn out from throwing. They laid side by side next to each other, trying to catch their breaths from all their snickering.

“That was strangely therapeutic,” Caitlin let out, chuckling lightly to herself, turning her head to look at Barry.

Barry turned his head to view her. “It was,” he agreed, smiling contently at her, his eyes so soft and steady, like she was the most interesting thing in the world.

“What?” Caitlin asked, feeling self-conscious by the way he was looking at her.

He grabbed her mitten-clad hand, holding it securely in his own. “I just love you,” he expressed gently. “Thank you for playing in the snow with me.”

She smiled brilliantly, eyes shining and regarding him lovingly. “Of course,” she said, moving closer to kiss him sweetly on the lips. “And I love you too,” she told him against his lips, caressing his cheek tenderly.

Barry only grinned before grasping her chin and bringing their lips together once more. They quickly deepened it as they tugged each other closer, revealing in each other’s warmth, more so now because the ground beneath them was so cold.

“Hey, lovebirds!” they heard above them. Barry and Caitlin stopped kissing to look up just as Cisco hit them with a snowball to their respective chests. “Take that, Speedy and Elsa!” he hollered victoriously.

Caitlin let out a yelp as she scrambled to get up. “Stop calling me Elsa!” she yelled running after her friend, forming snowballs to throw at the engineer.

Barry got up, taking in a deep breath, letting the cold air fill his lungs, watching his girlfriend and best friend with a goofy grin. He chuckled at the sight of Caitlin and Cisco having a ball, laughing hysterically as they pelted each other with snowballs that rarely landed.

Quickly making another batch of snowballs, Barry ran off to join Caitlin and Cisco. Not only because he loved snow, but because snow was even better when you enjoyed it with the people you loved.


	12. Christmas Morning IV

Barry woke up to a nudge to his shoulder. The speedster hummed out, eyes still firmly shut. "Five more minutes, Cait." A small, child-like giggle then erupted next to him, and he instantly knew who had woken him up.

Smiling to himself, Barry opened his eyes only to enlarge them comically wide. "Caitlin, you've shrunk?!" he exclaimed dramatically, holding his little girl by the waist as he tickled her sides.

Little laughter bubbled in the air of his bedroom, bringing a broad smile to his face as he listened to her 4-year-old innocence. "No, Daddy," she told him in between laughs. "It's Nora," she proclaimed, her cute little face scrunching up in laughter in just the same manner as her mother's did.

"Ohhhhh," Barry let out, as if he just considered the possibility, though to be fair, his daughter really was the splitting image of his wife, especially at this age. "Well, what's my Nora Elizabeth doing up so early?" he questioned.

"It's CHRISTMAS!" she yelled, jumping up excitedly on his bed.

"And did Santa come?!" he asked, drumming up his voice to sound just as excited as her.

Nora eagerly nodded her head. "Yes! And he ate ALL of the cookies," she told him, mouth opened in shock. "He must have been REALLY hungry."

Barry chuckled, rubbing his belly subconsciously. They had left _a lot_ of cookies out for 'Santa,' but it was nothing when it came to a speedster with high metabolism. "He must have really loved them," Barry told her.

"Can we open presents now?!" she asked, batting her little green eyes (the only things she seemed to physically inherit from Barry) at him. "Pleaseeee?"

"We have to wait for Mommy," he said, looking around, trying to look or hear for his wife. "Where is Mommy, Niz?"

"Bathroom," she told him simply, plopping down on the mattress.

Barry got up from his bed, helping his little girl down too. "How about I get Mommy, while you and Mendel wait by the tree, okay?" Nora happily nodded, immediately running down the stairs. "No opening any present yet though! Or Santa's not going to be happy," he yelled after her, chuckling at her enthusiasm.

The speedster then walked over to their master bathroom, easily opening the door. And there she was, sexily wrapped up in only a towel, brushing her teeth at the sink. Their eyes met in the mirror, both grinning.

"Good morning," Caitlin said through the reflection. "Nora wake you up?" she asked amusingly, before finishing up her teeth.

Barry came up behind her, wrapping his arms around his wife, chuckling into her neck. "Was that your doing?" he asked, smelling the lavender scent from her body wash still fresh on her skin as he placed kisses along her bare shoulder.

After rinsing her toothbrush, she turned into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck. "She wanted to wake up her Daddy," Caitlin told him softly, running her hands soothingly along the nap of his neck. "Where is she anyway?"

"Downstairs, waiting," Barry said distractingly, eyeing his wife endearingly before he couldn't wait any longer, kissing her delicately. "Mmm, minty fresh," he mused as they pulled away.

Caitlin chuckled. "I wish I could say the same," she teased. Barry playfully frowned, causing the bio-chemist to roll her eyes affectionately but give him another kiss. "Happy?" she asked.

He nodded, smiling against her lips, but his eyes lit with a little mischievous as he his fingers trailed over the edges her the towel.

"No," Caitlin told him, batting at his hand, though her eyes showed reluctance. "Our daughter is waiting for us downstairs, most likely very impatiently, knowing who her father is," she said, eyeing her husband knowingly.

Barry pouted, but backed away from his wife's embrace. Staying any closer to her would be too tempting at this point.

Caitlin shook her head fondly, but smiled. "Later…" she whispered, her words like velvet, before exiting the bathroom to go back to their bedroom and get changed.

Quickly brushing his teeth, Barry then jogged downstairs, finding his daughter sitting in the living room by her presents.

"Daddy!" she running up into his arms when she saw him. "Where's Mommy?"

"She'll be down in a second, Niz," he told her, setting her back down on the ground. Mendel then came over to him, wagging his tail as he greeted his owner good morning. "Hey, buddy," he welcomed the dog, petting him absentmindedly as he waited for Caitlin.

"Did Santa get Mendel presents too?" Nora asked, standing by the dog. "Because he's been a very good doggie," she proclaimed, kissing the white husky on its head.

Barry laughed at how adorable the scene was. "Yup, Santa got something for Mendel too. But we'll open up his some other time."

A minute later, Caitlin entered the living room, donning a creamy sweater dress that made him just want to cuddle her close to him. She received much of the same greeting from Nora as he had once the little tike noticed that she had entered the room. "Can I open my presents now, Mommy?" she asked, bouncing up and down.

His personal physician brushed back her daughter's head affectionately. "Of course, baby, go ahead," she said, causing the young girl to squeal in delight as she picked up her first present.

Caitlin walked over to him, settling herself against him on the couch. He smiled at her contently, bending down to give her a peck. "Mmm, minty fresh," she said, causing him to laugh and give her another small kiss just because.

They then rested their heads against each other, both watching their daughter ripping through the wrapping paper and happily receiving clothes and toys.

"I think I'm done," Nora said, looking wide-eyed at Barry and Caitlin, a mountain of wrapping paper surrounding her on the floor.

The couple chuckled, nodding to each other. "I think there's one more, Niz," Barry said as he and Caitlin got up from the couch, making their way to the back porch.

The little girl followed her parents curiously. When she stepped outside, she immediately noticed the little tricycle on the deck, her whole face lighting up and glowing as she admired the baby blue bike with ribbons hanging off the handles. "Can I ride it?!" she asked, jumping up and down.

"Not yet," Caitlin said, dampening the little girl's spirits momentarily. "Wait until after breakfast. Okay, baby?"

The little girl perked up a little, smiling at her mother. "Okay, Mommy."

Caitlin leaned down, becoming eye-level with her daughter. "Now, what do you want for breakfast?"

Nora's face became animated again. "PANCAKES," she exclaimed. "Can I help? I want to make mine look like a snowman."

"Of course, Nora," Caitlin said, guiding her daughter back indoors.

Barry followed his two girls into the kitchen – Mendel trailing along too in hopes for scrapes. He watched them all from the entrance for a few moments, his heart swelling at the sight of his little family, unbelieving how his life had changed over the years – it all starting with Cait.

"You gonna help, hon?" Caitlin asked over her shoulder, noticing him in the doorway.

He smiled, walking over to his wife, laying a lingering kiss on her lips. He then reached down to pick up his little girl and kissed her delicately on the side of the head. "What do you need me to do?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it! Thank you all for reading! Happy Holidays for those celebrating! :)


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